The Kestrel was playing it clever

There he was perched and relaxed at the door of his box watching the owl do all the work

When the owl caught something he flew in with his best 'Macho' face on looking for a steal., which he succeeded in doing in this instance

You had to feel for the owl but happily he caught another Vole and disappeared into the distance to enjoy his evening meal

Just as things were starting to look bleak for Matthew, he remembered that he had a chip inserted into his right wrist, that was for such instances. Before his body gave out from the brutal confrontation with BigFoot aka OTIS, he activated the chip and it's alert became active to those waiting for such a moment as now! So into their troop transport plane, they assembled one by one ready for the moment to put their training to the test.

Meanwhile OTIS and the GNOMES were taking Matthew and his glorious tricked out bike to their camp, when they came to an abrupt halt.

The cavalry had arrived....in the form of the 68th Division of the BEAVER AIRBORNE!!!!! Yes, you heard that right.... the 68th Division of the Beaver Airborne... a very covert group, that is only assembled for when Mr. Mason is not able to handle a given situation. So this was their first call to action and with vigor, did they umbrellachute out and into the fray. Most have landed, with just a few still coming into the hot zone.... the battle has now begun...

The most dreaded foe of a GNOME, is a BEAVER and these are NOT just any Beaver.... these are AIRBORNE BEAVERS!!!!! Their claws and incisors razor sharp to whittle down any damn Gnome that gets in their way! As for OTIS....though they were never trained to combat a Foot of the Big, they are still highly skilled killing machines and should have no problem taking him down, as well.

So thus concludes this chapter in the every expansive Gnome Wars Saga!!!!!

Oh, one more thing... LONG LIVE BEAVERS, everywhere!!!

*ADDENDUM: Note how unceremoniously I was dropped!!!! Better be some future awwww's and oh no's.... I was seriously hurt there! Knocked off my damn glasses....MY GLASSES!!!!!

This is an unposed portrait (shot with permission) of a homeless man in Bristol. He was sat outside a city centre shop with all his worldly possessions plus dogs.

Unfortunately for him, the helping hand in this instance that looks like an 'angel' touching his shoulder, is that of a shop window mannequin behind him. I didn't consciously notice the juxtaposition at the time so it was not staged.

There are many fake beggars on Britain's streets. I don't know this man's personal story (although I know he is known to homeless outreach workers) BUT that something in his eyes cannot be faked. I know he is in pain. And that makes me feel something.

Cormorants where catching fish like crazy yesterday. It seemed that every time time they dove, they came up with a nice sized fish like this one. Their success did not fail to capture the attention of the snowy egrets and pelicans on the same pond. I saw several instances where the cormorants would surface with a fish only to have it stolen by an egret or pelican. It's a bird-eat-bird world out there.

Alligators seem to be everywhere in Florida. Every pond, river, drain, lake, swamp, wetland, anywhere with fresh water (as opposed to "salt water") might be the favorite spot for alligators. They are seen also in brackish water.

Usually, like the "floating log" in the picture, they appear to be docile. By necessity, I have even had to walk (carefully haha) over a group of three large alligators sunning/asleep in the sun, but one should always approach with caution. There have been many instances of careless people having been bitten by alligators.

I'm at it again...stumbling upon attractive avatars and reaching for the camera. In this instance, My thanks to Stella Wyx for letting me share the result here.

I had been observing and photographing the Great Gray Owl on the right for about two hours, including as it made several strikes (at least two of which were successful). In this instance it seemed to be mantling (spreading its wings) as if over prey, and I was waiting for it to lift off. Suddenly the owl on the left in this image appeared ‘out of nowhere,’ flying low and fast and closing distance quickly. The owl on the right is just raising its wings to respond to this approach. I held down the shutter release and the following 10 images recorded the dramatic interaction that followed…

{For clarity, I will mention that no baiting, taped calls, or other unethical practises were used to obtain this and the following eleven images — just observation, patience, and a measure of luck.}

In some rare instances I will post a head shot. Usually because I am practicing because I don't think I do them very well whatsoever.

Small rundown on what I have on!

New Tram Hair at Uber- New Glasses from TBF will be located at the next round of Cosmo on Monday!- Shiny Stuffs Makeup, Lips and Eyes- MICHAN Lashes- Genus Babyface Bento Head.- Skin from The Skinnery- Maitreya Body- Jewelry by Yummy and e.marie.- Ears by MOMOKO and Pity Party!

Thanks for taking a look! ♥

European Court of Justice / Kirchberg Plateau / Luxembourg City / Luxembourg

EXIF wrong: 21mm Voigtländer Ultron, not Vario-Elmar

Please have a look at my albums:

www.flickr.com/photos/tabliniumcarlson/albums

“We Slytherins are brave, yes, but not stupid. For instance, given the choice, we will always choose to save our own necks.” – Phineas Nigellus

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The breeding season in South Asia is from December to April. In southern and eastern Australia, it is August to October, and April to June in the north and west. The nests are constructed of small branches and sticks with a bowl inside and lined with leaves, and are located in various trees, often mangroves. They show considerable site fidelity nesting in the same area year after year. In some rare instances, they have been seen to nest on the ground under trees. A clutch of two dull-white or bluish-white oval eggs measuring 52 x 41 mm is laid. Both parents take part in nest building and feeding, but likely only the female incubates. The incubation period is about 26 to 27 days.

It is primarily a scavenger, feeding mainly on dead fish and crabs, especially in wetlands and marshland, but occasionally hunts live prey such as hares and bats.They may also indulge in kleptoparasitism and attempt to steal prey from other birds. Brahminy kites have even been recorded taking advantage of Irrawaddy dolphins herding fish to the surface, in the Mekong River. A rare instance of a bird feeding on honey at the hive of Apis florea has been recorded.

Young birds may indulge in play behaviour, dropping leaves and attempting to catch them in the air. When fishing over water, they may sometimes land in the water, but manage to swim and take off without much trouble.

They roost communally on large and isolated trees and as many as 600 have been seen at one location.

They may mob larger raptors such as the Aquila eagles. In some incidents where brahminy kites mobbed steppe eagles (Aquila rapax), they were attacked and injured or killed.

Zero Image 612B pinhole camera; Fuji NPH400 film.

Desaturated and toned in Photoshop. In this instance, the desaturated version was a clear winner.

I'm the type of person that takes a break from editing photos by editing more photos - in this instance, I KNEW I wanted to get at least one submission into the #AdamsPhotoChallenge this month, but I knew that my time would be crunched. I'm so glad I was able to (even if it's just a little last minute)!

This photo challenge was pretty fun, and definitely a great way to break up the workworkwork of every day photography!

Location - LaZy DaZe Surf Beach

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Tribunal de Grande Instance .

Court of First Instance. .

Do they fish for the fun of it? I watched several reddish egrets dance, plunge, and come up with a fish only to drop it a few seconds later. Did it have a bad taste? In some instances, gulls were hovering nearby and quickly scooped the fish up for an easy meal. I had not seen this behavior before and I'm curious if you have seen it. Please let me know in the comments below. Thanks!

Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to view, like or comment on my photos!

© 2020 Craig Goettsch - All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use without permission is prohibited.

In this instance Tufty was without his trademark tufts which moult during the summer months.

Sadly now despite his road safety campaign in the 60's Tufty is very rare in most of the UK.

Although the shots of him in the tree are my preferred, I still like this shot as he made off across the track directly in front of us.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris)

Highland Titles Nature Reserve, Duror - Scotland

Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on my photos. It is truly appreciated.

DSC_4869

“The text also just grows increasingly garbled. For instance, here it says that our new subway system will streamline the rush-hour commute, but about halfway down, it's a series of nearly indecipherable glyphs our experts insist hint at "non-Euclidian emotions" and "appeasement" (though we think this may be a euphemism for "fares").”

― Joseph Fink, The Great Glowing Coils of the Universe

SL Prompt Project 2022

Coming across this nest of swallows in a bird hide at Spurn Point took me right back to my youth. When growing up all of the outbuildings had open windows or doors that were left ajar. As a result there were swallow nest galore.

In this instance the parents were constantly back and forth feeding their brood of four hungry chicks. I did try for a photo that including all four chicks gaping at the same time but three was as good as I could get. It was also dark in the hide and because I was using a long lens it was tough to keep the ISO down whilst still managing to obtain a crisp image. Having no tripod with me Shirls right shoulder came in handy.

In this instance Tufty was without his trademark tufts which moult during the summer months.

Sadly now despite his road safety campaign in the 60's Tufty is very rare in most of the UK.

Was anyone else a member of the Tufty Club - I still have my badge.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus Vulgaris)

Highland Titles Nature Reserve, Duror - Scotland

Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on my photos. It is truly appreciated.

DSC_4864

more instances of last night's occurrence of Northern Lights

like money, for instance ;-)

Henri De Regnier (1864 – 1936) a French symbolist poet

The Environment Matters! Vote Blue!!

Icelandic horse, Vikng Iceland cruise, Rural East Iceland land excursion from Djupivogur

Some people find it unnerving to be left alone when there are far too many uncomfortable dimensions to the solitude. Yet being alone does not necessarily mean being lonely. For instance, assume you are left alone with your thoughts. If you find peace in solitude, your time alone may be a blessing, a welcome respite from the cares of the world. The right quotes show that being alone—far from being lonely—provides a chance to reflect on life.

Buddha

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Thank you for your visit and comments!.

I had higher hopes for a mirror lens: Here's a tiny male eastern bluebird in post-sunset light, photographed handheld from 100 feet or more away using an old, very manual, fixed-aperture, very slow, very dim 500mm Vivitar mirror lens, all conspiring to give marginal results, but I gave it the old college try and decided to post it "for the record." I'm hoping that the gifted young photographer who loaned the lens (he came by it cheap) to me will find it more useful (it purports to be a macro lens, for instance) because it just doesn't meet my photographic requirements. The bluebird was at the Pine Tree Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. ©2021 John M. Hudson | jmhudson1.com

Amsterdam, Light Festival -The design of the installation "Infinita" is also based on such a fractal: the tetrahedron, a pyramid with a triangular base. The bright beautiful quartz structures of the plant are made up of many tetrahedra. These are reminiscent of a cracked rock crystal or a split iceberg. But in the second instance, beyond the beautiful surface, unfolds the complexity of the internal structure. As if the spectator just like Alice in Wonderland through the mirror back step and suddenly ends up in a parallel reality, where time, space and the existing condition new, wonderful perspectives. Artist Cecile Balmond.

"In every life there’s a moment or two

when the self disappears, the cruel wound

takes over, and then again

at times we are filled with sky

or with birds or

simply with the sugary tea on the table

said the old woman

I know what you mean said the tulip

about epiphanies

for instance a cloudless April sky

the approach of a butterfly

but as to the disappearing self

no

I have not yet experienced that

You are creating distinctions

that do not exist in reality

where “self” and “not-self” are like salt

in ocean, cloud in sky

oxygen in fire

said the philosophical dog

under the table scratching his balls"

In Every Life by, Alicia Ostriker

b. 1937

This journal has helped me form better eating habits; and not because I was eating a bunch of bad junk food and was trying to lose weight. I started this journal to try to pin point what was/is making me feel unwell and to make some lifestyle changes as much as I could. Over the years I have concluded that stress or anxiety will literally make me sick to the point that I can't eat because my stomach hurts so much. Stress, certain foods and changing weather patterns will trigger my frequent headaches/migraines. It has been trial and error to learn what I need to simply cut out of my diet which would triggers my flare ups...for instance bye, bye dairy. I thought I could never live without cheese, it turns out I can! :) I now eat more fruits and vegetables than I ever imagined. Ohhh, if you only knew what I put in my smoothies. ;-)

Playing catch up with this 365 again...

Thanks again for your visit. I hope everyone has had a great day!

In an instance where you still want to feel equal parts sexy yet dressed for Fall, nothing marries the two quite like this gorgeous Just Because [JB] Nala Sweater Dress - clinging to your body with an unintentionally insulated yet very attractive vibe.

Looking more closely at its texturing, you will discover how its beautifully beaded reverse ridge stitch knit patterning is divinely juxtaposed to a diagonal, delicate leaf type ribbed knit patterning across the chest.

I love how this JB dress comes with 18 different color options for the main body and its secondary Milano patterned trims.

The buckled shoulder strap and waist sash combines these same 18 solid color choices with an additional 18 Tartan plaid options to accentuate the look (not shown).

This JB Nala sweater dress makes for a must have timeless fall and winter classic for your SL wardrobe arsenal.

This dress is sold by Body Type fitting Maitreya Lara, Kupra, Reborn, Legacy (+ Perky) and Belleza Gen X Classic (+ Curvy) rigged mesh bodies.

You can find this new Nala dress premiered at the Belleza Gen X Event.

Taxi to InWorld Event:

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Belleza/120/136/25

JB Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/JustBecause/129/77/24

Marketplace:

marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/22086

Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of sunset. Sunsets are quite old fashioned. . . . To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on."

Oscar Wilde

CSX 2625 and 5353 intercept traffic on Tarragona Street as they hook up to a pair of boxcars spotted on the spur to W.R. Taylor Company. Since W.R. Taylor only has one unloading spot, the crew will pull both cars from the siding, re-spot the load and take the empty car back to Goulding yard. This unique switching operation takers place as needed but sometimes as often as twice a week, depending on demand, but almost always at night. This day the crew wanted to stay ahead of an approaching storm and had no cars to switch around at the port, and thus they managed to get to W.R. Taylor just as dusk started to set in. While this type of scene might have been commonplace 50 years ago, nowadays this operation is one of only a handful of instances left in the entire country where a carload customer is switched out from street running trackage. Pensacola, FL

The quality of the airport and perhaps even the affluence of the country easily can be determined by the quality of the motor vehicles on display in the food court. This McLaren, for instance, at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, seen and admired during my return flights from Nairobi to Dulles. ©2022 John M. Hudson | jmhudson1.com

I can turn them upside down and they're still interesting to me as pictures. If you turn a picture that's not well organized upside down, it won't work :-)

William Eggleston

HBW!! Truth Matters!

hardy ground orchid, 'Brigantes', sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina

Another instance where I was playing with underexposing, this time with a juvenile little blue heron. What I didn't realize at the time I shot this, was the fact that the heron had caught a insect nymph and that nymph was in the light and glowing. So cool!

Underexposed by 3 2/3 stops. Best viewed large.

Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to view, like or comment on my photos!

© 2019 Craig Goettsch - All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use without permission is prohibited.

for instance...in a food bowl!

textures thanks to +jenny and Bianca (BMK photography).

In this instance, I have tried to import the colour "red". I mixed it myself trying to imitate the pinkish-red colour scheme of the original plant. I myself can see that my mix is different from the original. In the morning that is. I am sure I would perceive the colour of this rose differently at different times of the day. Our colour perception may anyway differ from person to person, but also in relation to the kind of light illuminating the rose. I could say, the rose does not have a colour that is once and for all defined. Colour, like everything else, is relative.

One of those instances where having the fancy lens makes a difference. Able to freeze the action of the waves and still shoot at a somewhat reasonable ISO thanks to f/1.2. The long exposure version of this (with the water all misty) has little to no drama .

La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.

Turdus grayi (Clay-colored Thrush / Mirla parda)

The Clay-colored Thrush’s range just reaches the United States, in southernmost Texas, but elsewhere it ranges south through eastern Mexico and over much of Middle America to northwest South America, in Colombia.

It is the national bird of Costa Rica, where it is well known as the "Yigüirro".

At least nine subspecies are generally recognized, although geographical variation between them is generally rather minor, involving slight differences in overall coloration in most instances.

neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/...

While wrens are typically small and drab--relatively speaking, of course!--birds, they are beloved all over. This is likely due to their boisterous attitudes and incredibly robust and complex songs. The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) photographed here is unique for another reason. It has one of the widest distributions of any songbird. In the summer, they can quite literally be found from Canada all the way down to the Cape Horn, South America!

Want to learn how to tell different wren species apart? Look for their eyebrows and tails. For instance, while house and winter wrens are both diminutive and brown, house wrens have almost no eyebrow markings and longish tails, while winter wrens have strong eyebrow lines and tiny tails.

Willie Wagtail chicks. The Willie Wagtail is often found in the company of cattle and sheep. They either run behind the moving animal snatching insects as they are disturbed, or sit on the animal's back, darting off to capture a flying insect and then returning to its mobile perch. The Willie Wagtail's call is well-known, often being uttered constantly throughout the night, and is interpreted as ‘sweet-pretty-creature’, though other calls involve more scolding and chattering notes.

Willie Wagtails have been given the biological name (Rhipidura leucophrys). These birds are indigenous to Australia and obviously were given names thousands of years earlier by our local indigenous peoples. For instance, around modern-day Perth, "the Nyoongar (in Whadjuk country) word for a Willie is 'chitty-chitty', the call it often emits when it's annoyed and is a sound I am very familiar with. It also has other melodic songs, surprisingly enough!"

Thank you to Flickr’s Padmacara for providing this insight.

Photographed in Ramsgate Sydney Australia

File: ZZR22H0561

This is a part of my son's fascinating mini model of a Stirling engine that actually works when you put it on top of a cup of hot water for instance. A cup filled with ice also works.

A Stirling engine ( invented and patented in 1816 by Robert Stirling ) is a heat engine that operates by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas at different temperatures, such that there is a conversion of heat energy to mechanical work.

Stirling engines have a high efficiency compared to internal combustion engines. They are also capable of quiet operation and can use almost any heat source. The heat energy source is generated external to the Stirling engine rather than by internal combustion. Because the Stirling engine is compatible with alternative and renewable energy sources it could become increasingly significant as the price of conventional fuels rises, and also in light of concerns such as depletion of oil supplies and climate change.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGlDsFAOWXc

Choose yours.

noun

1. an act or instance of isolating.

2. the state of being isolated.

3. the complete separation from others of a person suffering from contagious or infectious disease; quarantine.

4. the separation of a nation from other nations by isolationism.

5. Psychoanalysis. a process whereby an idea or memory is divested of its emotional component.

6. Sociology. social isolation.

7. The act of being shunned by one's peers for being different. For shining a little brighter.

Another instance where persistence pays off. 45 minutes sticking with this guy yielded the best views to date of this beautiful warbler. I’m not a big fan of the lighting but I’ll take what I can get!

Susquehanna State Park

Harford County

Maryland

I was struck by the shape of this Beech Tree which looked like a golfer part way through the "downswing". It is amazing how trees become shaped by their environment and very often you can determine the elements that have dictated their form. However, in this instance it would be hard to speculate what had caused this mature tree to become shaped in this way!

I love the mossy green arms swinging the "tree wood"!

The first known instance of man using the wind to power a mechanical task was by Heron of Alexandria in the first century. Since then windmills have been helping human beings to power grist mills, pump water, power cities and more. This example, located in Paradise Valley Park in Middletown, Rhode Island, was built in 1810 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

The humble Land Rover Defender can be found virtually anywhere in the world. In this instance one is seen here collecting a couple of jet skis from the beach in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

Everything has a context. All things must be put into their proper proportion. There are too many times, especially in moral judgments, where people make false equivalences. For instance, minor mishaps are referred to as tragedies. No, what is happening in Ukraine right now is real tragedy, the passing of cricketing great Shane Warne is not.

Don't get me wrong. Everyone in the world who follows the sport of cricket feels the sudden loss of Rod Marsh and Shane Warne - both from heart attacks. They are significant losses for many people, not least their loved ones, and I have no wish to minimise that. I'm reeling at the news myself this morning. But the passing of Marsh and Warne cannot be compared to the loss of thousands of civilians in Ukraine. Never. That's a false equivalence.

So let this picture today be a tribute to two fine cricketers from someone who played the game, but at a far lower level than their sublime skills. Both men were in their own way free spirits. But how often on the sporting field they soared to new heights. We will miss them.

PHOTO NOTE:

If you look closely you'll see this is a composite of three shots. It's the same seagull as it swept across the water below me.

Pic By Pammy

Black And White

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never tip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

You may very well be well bred

Lots of etiquette in your head

But there's always some special case, time or place

To forget etiquette

For instance:

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

From Instance Pose/ Devotion

POSE FAIR 2014